37.7971, −122.4331 A locator map appears here once a Mapbox token is configured.
Know This Place

District 2 · Block 0541, Lot 018 · ZIP 94123

Metropolitan Theatre #3

2055 Union Street · Marina

  • 1 story
  • 8,929 ft2
  • 12,236 ft2 lot area
  • 5 residential units
  • 6 rooms
  • 6 bathrooms
  • Zoned UNION
  • Historic resource
  • City landmark #261
Land$598,367
Improvements$197,896
Total assessed$796,263
37.7971, −122.4331 Street View appears here once a Google Maps embed key is configured.
  1. 1923-1924

    The Metropolitan Theatre #3, designed by Otto A. Deichmann, who specialised in movie theatres.

    Architecture, Planning & Preservation Professionals: A Collection of Biographies, adopted 2021
  2. March 16, 1923

    Theater builder Samuel H. Levin announced a business block for the south side of Union Street between Buchanan and Webster — the 'Daylight Block' — with a theater at its center.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  3. 1924

    Built.

  4. 1924

    A 47-foot vertical electric sign and a 10-foot-wide marquee went up with the theater.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  5. April 23, 1924

    The Metropolitan Theatre opened, with Acting Mayor Ralph McLeran giving the dedication and James Cruze's film The Fighting Coward on the screen.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  6. 1933

    The theater's marquee was changed from letters to neon.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  7. 1941

    The theater was remodeled from Spanish Colonial Revival to Art Deco — new facade, roof tiles removed, marquee and blade sign replaced, new interior walls built over the original finishes — and renamed the Metro; the architect was Otto A. Deichmann.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  8. 1941

    The Heinsbergen Decorating Company of Los Angeles painted the auditorium murals of dancing fairy-like figures over treetops.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  9. 1948

    Fire damage in the theater was repaired, and new platforms and seats were installed.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  10. December 4, 1957

    The first San Francisco International Film Festival opened at the Metro; directed by Irving M. 'Bud' Levin, it ran 14 days with films from 12 countries and drew 11,500 people.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  11. October 31, 1963

    The seventh San Francisco International Film Festival held its opening night at the Metro.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  12. Aug 1993
    Permit 9314598 $$$ $15,000

    Install bolts, cables, turnbuckles, bracing for marquee.

  13. 1998

    A renovation of about $3 million renewed the theater's systems, lobby and box office, refurbished the murals and painted finishes, uncovered part of the original lobby ceiling, and installed a wall-to-wall screen in front of the original proscenium.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  14. Apr 1998
    Permit 9807207 $$$ $5,321

    Install voice evacuation fire alarm system.

  15. 2006

    The Metro Theatre closed and was boarded up with plywood.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  16. July 14, 2009

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 261, Metro Theater.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
  17. Aug 2012
    Permit 201208016283 $$$ $2,500,000

    Demolition under seperate permit permit application 201212186484. new seismic core & shell retrofit to include new columns, floor & existing roof reinforecement. new foundation & demising walls at ground floor. (new elevator/stair & storefront. ab-017.

  18. Dec 2012
    Permit 201212186484 $$$ $190,000

    Demolition of interior structural. demolition of storefront at level 1, saw cut. new opening in existing concrete walls. includes shoring for north facade. form 3 per app#201208016283 is not issued. this permit demolition only.

  19. Mar 2013
    Permit 201303212733 $$$ $2,000,000

    Interior t.i. to fitness club. work to include new offices, laundry room, lounge, locker rooms, spa, steam room & mep on floors 1 through 4. core & shell, change of use & historic preservation approved under permit application 2012/08/01/6283.

  20. Apr 2013
    Permit 201304174785 $$$ $50,000

    3 new skylights (cable). new windows @ 4th floor. fire & smoke sutters @ stairs. future t.i mechanical openings coordate with structural system. fire & smoke shutter @ 3rd floor lightwell.

  21. May 2013
    Permit 201305015912 $$$ $70,000

    Install 101 fire sprinkler heads on 1st floor, 69 fire sprinkler heads on 2nd floor, 93 fine sprinkler heads on 3rd floor, and 97 fire sprinkler heads on 4th floor. underground by others.

  22. Aug 2013
    Permit 201308204803 $$$ $303,170

    (25 ton) install 5 vrv units, (13 ton) 3 heat pumps, 2 bathroom exhaust fans including duct work and installation per code. for core work under 2012/08/01/6283 r-3. tennat improvement separate permit. core construction permit application 2012-0801-6283.

  23. Aug 2013
    Issued Permit 201308305659 $$$ $13,000

    Underground fire sprinkler.

  24. Sep 2013
    Permit 201309237503 $$$ $165,000

    Interior tenant improvement to the fitness club. installation of juice bar and retail sales on ground floor. fire alarm & sprinklers on separate permit. ** maher: compliance with ordinance no# 155-13 not required **.

  25. Oct 2013
    Permit 201310038406 $$$ $1

    Change of use from existing retail, fitness club to limited use restaurant (coffee cafe). new demising walls, ceiling & flooring. new kitchen eqpm, casework, finishes. mep & fire protection under separate permits. accessibility approved under permit application 2013-0417-4785.

  26. Dec 2013
    Permit 201312164280 $$$ $16,400

    Install 1 fire alarm panel, 9 wall mount horn strobes, 16 smoke detectors, with base, 8 control relay modules, 1 monitor module, 5 dual monitor moduales, 1 pull station.shell and core protection; ti # 201208016283.

  27. Feb 2014
    Permit 201402057890 $$$ $45,200

    T.i. to provide t.i. of fire sprinkler heads. t.i. app#2013.03.21.2733. n/a for the maher ordinance #155-13. 234 sprinklers.

  28. Feb 2014
    Permit 201402198816 $$$ $25,000

    New fire alarm devices added to a tenant build out in an existing building. 1 annunciator, 1 power supply, 1 monitor module, 38 relay modules, 41 voltage relays, 14 smoke detector, 33 duct detector, 2 weatherproof strobe, 10 strobes, 38 horn/strobes. ref app#201303212733. n/a for the maher ordinance #155-13.

  29. Jun 2014
    Permit 201406279835 $$$ $3,000

    New fire alarm for new tenant build out juice bar to include: 1 relay module, 1 voltage relay, 1 duct detector, 2 ceiling strobes, 5 horn strobes; maher n/a.

  30. Sep 2014
    Permit 201409247171 $$$ $4,800

    Relocate 17 pendant fire sprinklers; ref. ti 201404143097, maher n/a.

  31. May 2017
    Filed Permit 201705227222 $$$ $4,000

    To erect electric, single faced, window sign. n/a for maher ordinance.

  32. May 2017
    Filed Permit 201705227226 $$$ $4,000

    To erect electric, single faced, wall sign. n/a for maher ordinance.

  33. Dec 2020
    Issued Permit 202012171258 $$$ $3,500

    Sign, "muesi". electric, wall-mounted, 6.7 sq ft.

  34. Mar 2021
    Permit 202103247223 $$$ $4,100

    One unit: install 1 electric, single faced wall sign. 13 sq ft. (earthbar).

  35. Apr 2024
    Permit 202404190347 $$$ $50,000

    Demolition and rebuild existing service counter and replace kitchen equipment in kind replace non ada bathroom sink and install required ada signage.

  36. Jun 2024
    Permit 202406255216 $$$ $8,110

    Install one (1) set halo-illuminated letters & logo mounted on wireway. "joyride pizza".

DBI holds 42 permits for this parcel, most of them tenant improvements on individual floors. The timeline shows the 24 largest by stated cost, plus the earliest on file; the DBI query in the sources below returns all 42. 6 of them are nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits. 2 expired or cancelled permits are not shown. The 1924 theatre is credited both to Otto A. Deichmann and to the Reid Brothers, with Deichmann also named for the 1941 remodel.

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